In the wake of this fiasco, former President Donald Trump has doubled down on his calls to buy Greenland. Today, this strategically important and mineral-rich island is under Danish sovereignty. In a recent letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump made clear that he desired to acquire Greenland for the United States. He stated that this must be accomplished “one way or the other.” He is disappointed because he did not get the Nobel Peace Prize. He thinks this result is related to his hard line on the territory.
Trump’s comments are particularly notable as he prepares to impose a 10% tariff on imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland, starting February 1. This last point appears to directly aim at his unsuccessful attempts to purchase Greenland. Rather, this is a welcome refreshed and renewed focus on the topic—one that he has advanced multiple times in recent years.
In his letter to Støre, Trump stated, “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.” Many cities and countries are making great strides, but he agrees he’s frustrated with the term, “Nobel Committee.” They then extended the coveted award to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Of course, Machado has become famous for quite publicly dedicating her award to Trump—at one point even giving him her medal.
Even worse, Trump has signaled that he views military action as a fallback option if negotiations go south. He stated, “We are not secure unless we have Complete and Total control of Greenland,” further indicating that he is willing to consider aggressive measures. His comments have fired alarm bells in the European Union and NATO. Greenland is protected by treaties with Denmark, further complicating the matter.
In an earlier comment, Trump questioned the legitimacy of Danish claims over Greenland, saying, “Why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? There are no written documents; it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago.” This claim is telling, as it indicates his understanding that the historical arguments for rights to the territory are weak at worst.
Trump has claimed credit for strengthening NATO during his presidency, saying he has “done more for NATO than anyone else since its founding.” In return, he thinks NATO countries should support U.S. interests in the context of Greenland.
Annexing Greenland For the former president’s repeated threats to take over Greenland an ominous pointer to a major shift in his administration’s approach to foreign policy. Trump’s recent statements are further signaling that when push comes to shove, he values aggressive bluster and posturing over diplomatic efforts like the ICBM promotion.